Misero Prospero Project: DOG TALK

Meeting Kurt Weill
http://miseroprospero.raulduran.com/photos/00.jpg
TA work in progress based on our own selection of the great Kurt Weill songs. A theatre concert with unexpected guidelines. Featuring the Turkish mezzosoprano Tulu İçözü and directed by Carlos Rodero. Opening planned for the last trimester of the year.
Szívhasadás (Heartbreaking)
http://miseroprospero.raulduran.com/photos/orange-fish.jpg
The poetry of Miguel Hernández and Rádnoti Miklós through a putting on the stage based on the dramaturgy of movement. Choreographed by Daniela H. Faith and directed by Carlos Rodero. Performed in National Dance Theatre of Budapest by Fülöp Ágnes, Oláh László and Daniela H. Faith.
Matruska (Russian Dolls)
http://miseroprospero.raulduran.com/photos/sea-turtle.jpg
A metaphor of the countless intimate drawers that we could find in the feminine sphere; a collection of different identities which coexist inside the same person, represented by three dancers that unify that reality. Created by Daniela H. Faith and Carlos Rodero. Performed in Millenaris Theatre and Gödör Klub by Kopeczny Kata, Dombi Kati, Erika Méndez and Daniela H. Faith and in Bakelitt Studio by Hucker Kata, Kulcsár Vajda Eniko and Fülöp Ágnes.
Részletek egy munkanaplóból
(Excerpts from a Working Diary)
http://miseroprospero.raulduran.com/photos/coral-reef.jpg
A research on the borders of text and physical theatre, written and directed by Carlos Rodero. Performed in Millenáris Theatre by Zeck Julianna, Papp Dániel, Hajdú László, Cseke Katinka and Vasvári Emese.
Csodakvintett (Miraculous Five)
http://miseroprospero.raulduran.com/photos/blue-fish.jpg
An amazing and astonishing piece written and directed by Carlos Rodero, full of surprising situations and intelligent humor. A great bunch of brilliant samples of acting. Performed in Tivoli Theatre, Bakelitt Studio and National Theatre of Budapest by Lass Bea, Horváth Sándor, Papp Dániel and Kadono Yuuna.
Sárba tiport Orfeusz (Orpheus Stomped in Dirt)
http://miseroprospero.raulduran.com/photos/yellow-fish.jpg
Based on the Claudio Monteverdi’s opera, Carlos Rodero creates a travel towards the limits of love, death and inspiration with the combination of languages such as physical theatre, contemporary dance, clown or an own imaginary and ironical vision of drama techniques. With the Balázs Elemér Trio music on the stage, choreographed by Daniela H. Faith and Performed in Tivoli Theatre of Budapest and Círculo de Bellas Artes de Madrid by Tania Garrido, Takács Dórisz and Daniela H. Faith.
Sárba tiport Orfeusz (Orpheus Stomped in Dirt)
Concert Version
http://miseroprospero.raulduran.com/photos/squid.jpg
A Concert Version based on the play created by Carlos Rodero, with Daniela H. Faith and the Balázs Elemér Trio showing their powerful vision of the Claudio Monteverdi’s opera.
Matruska (Russian Dolls)
http://miseroprospero.raulduran.com/small-fish.jpg
A new version of the play that check over the theatrical aspects of the proposal showed in Círculo de Bellas Artes de Madrid directed by Carlos Rodero. Performed by Fülöp Ágnes, Tóth Karolina and Daniela H. Faith.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

DOG TALK

Por Carlos Rodero

Huawen Li

DOG TALK

HANK and ELMER nibble a deflated plastic ball.

ELMER: Listen.

HANK: What?

ELMER: May I ask you something?

HANK: Well...

ELMER: If you don't mind.

(Long silence.)

HANK: No. I do not mind.

ELMER: If you had a dog, what would you call him?

HANK: You know very well that I don't like dogs.

ELMER: Sure. But if you had one.

HANK: How could I have a dog if I don't like them?

ELMER: If you like. You have to imagine that you like them.

HANK: I hate them.

ELMER: You have to imagine. Just a moment.

HANK: I think I cannot imagine it not even for a moment. I see them approach me, shaking his damned tail hysterially, senseless, leaving a trail of whitish and sticky slime, with his eyes so... so vulnerable, begging for some attention ... It makes me sick.

ELMER: Then we have a problem.

HANK: It's disgusting.

ELMER: Yes. We probably have a problem.

HANK: Moreover, why is so necessary to name a dog? Do you think that naming a dog you solve anything? That your worry may disappear just that easy?

ELMER: If you could imagine it for a moment.

(Long silence.)

Elmer.

HANK: What?

ELMER: I would call him Elmer.

HANK: What kind of name is that?

ELMER: I would call him Elmer and certainly he would come when I call him by his name.

HANK: It is an absurd name. What kind of frustration would push you to call a dog with that bloody name? It's like ... like ... call him Hank.

(Long silence.)

ELMER: Maybe we should accept that neither is the best choice.

HANK: Of course not.

ELMER: What if ...?

HANK: If what?

ELMER: If you were a dog.

HANK: I'm not a dog.

ELMER: How would you like they call you?

HANK: I'd rather be left alone.

(Long silence.)

ELMER: Look at Miles, for example.

HANK: What about Miles?

ELMER: He does everything possible.

HANK: Do not talk about Miles. It bothers me.

ELMER: He does everything possible to look like a dog.

HANK: Yes. Miles, yes. That's what drives me mad.

ELMER: He behaves like a dog. Night and day.

HANK: Are you saying that because what happened the other day with Mia?

(Long silence.)

ELMER: Poor Mia.

HANK: Even for her that was too much. (Silence.)

You know what? I hate you. In fact, I hate you intensely. You always have been unpleasant to me. You are an incorrigible pedant who mistakenly believes that such questions will make the passage of time more bearable and you're wrong. You and those like you. All of you are wrong. And whether your name is Elmer or Hank, the passage of time is and always will be unbearable. Time and ticks, cold showers, Time and cold showers. Time and the last time you urinated. You urinated without thinking too much about the next time you will. You urine and do not think if that will be the last time. Until you do it again.

(Long silence.)

ELMER: That might be a problem.

(Long silence.)

HANK: Tom.

ELMER: I beg your pardon?

HANK: I would call him Tom.

DOG TALK

ELMER y HANK mordisquean una pelota de plástico deshinchada.

ELMER: Oye.

HANK: ¿Qué?

ELMER: ¿Te puedo hacer una pregunta?

HANK: Bueno.

ELMER: Si no te molesta.

(Largo silencio.)

HANK: No. No me molesta.

ELMER: Si tuvieras un perro, ¿qué nombre le pondrías?

HANK: Sabes de sobra que no me gustan los perros.

ELMER: Ya. Pero si tuvieras uno.

HANK: ¿Cómo podría tener un perro si no me gustan?

ELMER: Si te gustaran. Tienes que imaginarte que te gustan.

HANK: Los detesto.

ELMER: Tienes que imaginártelo. Será sólo un momento.

HANK: Creo que no puedo imaginármelo ni por un momento. Los veo acercarse a mí, moviendo la dichosa cola de un lado para otro, sin sentido, dejando un rastro de baba blancuzca y pegajosa, con los ojos tan… tan vulnerables, mendigando algo de atención… Me pone enfermo.

ELMER: Entonces tenemos un problema.

HANK: Es repulsivo.

ELMER: Sí. Es probable que tengamos un problema.

HANK: Además, ¿por qué es tan necesario ponerle nombre a un perro? ¿Crees que por ponerle nombre a un perro resuelves algo? ¿Qué tu inquietud puede desaparecer así, sin más?

ELMER: Si pudieras imaginártelo sólo por un momento.

(Largo silencio.)

Elmer.

HANK: ¿Qué?

ELMER: Yo le pondría Elmer.

HANK: ¿Qué clase de nombre es ese?

ELMER: Le pondría Elmer y con toda seguridad vendría cuando le llamara por su nombre.

HANK: Es un nombre absurdo. ¿Qué clase de frustración te empujaría a ponerle ese maldito nombre a un perro? Es como si… como si le llamaras… Hank.

(Largo silencio.)

ELMER: Quizá sea necesario reconocer que tampoco es un nombre muy acertado.

HANK: Claro que no.

ELMER: ¿Y si fueras…?

HANK: ¿Si fuera qué?

ELMER: Si fueras un perro.

HANK: Yo no soy un perro.

ELMER: ¿Cómo te gustaría que te llamaran?

HANK: Preferiría que me dejaran en paz.

(Largo silencio.)

ELMER: Fíjate en Miles, por ejemplo.

HANK: ¿Qué pasa con Miles?

ELMER: Hace todo lo posible.

HANK: No hablemos de Miles. Me incomoda.

ELMER: Hace todo lo posible para parecerse a un perro.

HANK: Sí. Miles, sí. Por eso me saca de quicio.

ELMER: Se comporta como un perro. Noche y día.

HANK: ¿Lo dices por lo que pasó el otro día con Mia?

(Largo silencio.)

ELMER: Pobre Mia.

HANK: Incluso para ella fue demasiado. (Silencio.)

¿Sabes? Te detesto. En realidad, te detesto intensamente. Siempre me has resultado desagradable. Eres un pedante incorregible, que opina del todo erróneamente que por hacerse ese tipo de preguntas el paso de tiempo va a ser más soportable y te equivocas. Tú y los que son como tú. Os equivocáis. Y tanto si te llamas Elmer como si te llamas Hank, el paso del tiempo es y será siempre insoportable. El tiempo y las garrapatas, las duchas de agua fría, el tiempo y las duchas de agua fría. El tiempo y la última vez que orinaste. Orinaste sin pensar demasiado en la próxima vez que orinarás. Orinas y no piensas si esa será la última vez. Hasta que lo haces de nuevo.

(Largo silencio.)

ELMER: Quizá eso sea un problema.

(Largo silencio.)

HANK: Tom.

ELMER: ¿Cómo?

HANK: Le pondría Tom.

Carlos Rodero

Notebook, 2009